


Sadie Hawkins dance

by Besidemyself



Series: Will they or won't they? - FRobin Oneshots [9]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Awkwardness, Brook as principal, Cute, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Franky as janitor, Franky is an idiot but cute, Kissing, Pining, Robin as teacher, Sadie Hawkins Dance, School Dances, bold Robin, shy Franky, the rest are pupils
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-17 21:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21550186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Besidemyself/pseuds/Besidemyself
Summary: Frobin Alternate Universe - School / not a coupleRating: PG / K+A prom is held at the school at which Robin is a teacher, Franky is the janitor and Brook is the principal.Originally posted: 31. Aug. 2017THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EXTENDED VERSION BECAUSE I LIKE TO REWORK OLD TEXTS! (not so much but a bit).
Relationships: Franky & Nico Robin, Franky/Nico Robin
Series: Will they or won't they? - FRobin Oneshots [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1438993
Kudos: 10





	Sadie Hawkins dance

**Author's Note:**

> The Sadie Hawkins dance is named after the Li'l Abner comic strip character Sadie Hawkins. The unmarried women of Dogpatch got to chase the bachelors and "marry up" with the ones that they caught.  
> This is unlike traditional dances, where the men chase the women. In the U.S. and Canada, this concept was popularized by establishing dance events to which the woman invited a man of her choosing, instead of demurely waiting for a man to ask her.

Tomorrow would finally be the day. The, with anticipation awaited, “Sadie Hawkins dance” would take place. The female pupils chitter with excitement between but, infuriatingly for the teacher, also while the lessons.  
The teachers had to ask for silence again and again but couldn’t help and feel excited and nervous themselves. Some more than other, to be honest.

Even though he isn’t exactly a teacher the schools janitor, Franky, is very nervous right now too. Not because he is right under the roof on top of a very shaky ladder. No, he is nervous because of the teacher who is at the other end of the ladder, the one who is giving orders to the pupils about how to organize tables and the one who sometimes looks up rather worried and skeptical: “Are you really sure it wouldn’t be better if I do this, Franky?”  
“Yes, I am sure,” he presses between his teeth, “it’s way too dangerous. I’m the one who has to maintain the ladder and so I’m the one who gets hurt if the ladder happen to collapse, Miss Nico!”  
The teacher continues to stare up to him, still unsure: “But you would be able to catch me if I fall!”  
That on the other side is a very nice image. A damsel in distress, a hero to the rescue and… Thanks! Love! Happiness! Maybe she would kiss him in her thanks!!   
“Are you alright, up there?” the call brings Franky back to reality.  
“Yeah… Yeah! Of course!” in a hurry he finishes his task to put up the decorations and to finally get off this death trap, for a short amount of time at least.  
Back on the ground he looks at his reason to be nervous and she smiles at him, causing his brain to stutter to a stop. She is so beautiful!   
As fast as possible he turns away, back to the ladder to move it to its next location, before she can catch him blushing or spacing off again.

Robin is walking beside Franky, thankful for his help. It would be way harder without it. But there is still a lot more to do and she considers to assign one or two pupils to help holding the ladder so she can take care of other things.  
“Do you have a date for the dance?” the questions is tearing her out of her thoughts.  
“Why should I? I’m just there as an overseer. I don’t need a date,” the question irritates her. Franky sure is a weird person sometimes. It's one of the reasons why she enjoys his presence.   
“Yeah… no… surely not. Haha!” trying to laugh it off he kicks himself mentally in the butt for this stupid remark.  
“Will you be there, Franky?”  
“Yeah…,” he critically looks up to the ceiling, trying to focus on the task at hand again. “But I will be outside most of the time. Gonna shoo the kids from the bushes.”  
“Ah,” she smiles and prepares herself to hold the ladder again.  
Right that moment two students pass by, bickering with each other.  
“Zoro! Sanji! Please stabilize the ladder until Franky has finished. I need to take care of other things. “  
“Yes Miss Nico!!!” the blonde pupil answers immediately, while the green haired one only mumbles something under his breath but still complies.  
Franky watches Robin leave while he climbs back up. What a pity, that the woman he - to say it in a very simple way - has a crush on is not standing at the end of the ladder anymore and keeps him from working in a more efficient manner. But also she does not keep him from working in a more efficient manner anymore. Especially not now because she is walking out of the gym with some pupils to get more props.

So, putting up of the decorations worked out without any distraction, until the moment when his two little helpers started to fight and the ladder did fall over and he had to hang around, holding himself on a beam for full five minutes, then an orange haired girl knocked the two squabbler on the head and stopped their fight and ordered another kid to go get Miss Nico, who managed to put the ladder back up after another five minutes.  
Hanging around hasn’t been so bad. He could have endured that longer. That the ladder had fallen over hadn’t been so bad either. Noone was hurt and it only took some decorations with it. He hasn't been scared to fall either. But why did his nice fantasy had to turn around so meanly in reality?  
A (theoretically) distressed dude. A heroine in shining suit (she is always dressed so sharply and perfect). Awkwardness! Shame! Laughter (even though no one is laughing about him)! 

The rescue mission is then over rather fast and handled without any more problems, but one could see the relief in Robins face when Franky finally feels solid ground under his feet again.  
“Is everything all right, Franky? Are you hurt?” with a serious expression she looks him over. She was scared for him. Never again will she ask Zoro and Sanji to work together with something so important.   
“No, no… I’m fine...,” except for his hurt pride.  
“That is good to hear. It’s very impressive that you managed to hold on so long, without getting out of breath.”   
Wait, what? Did he hear that right?  
“You do look strong but it’s something completely different to see that in action,” again she looks him over with a calculating expression. She really would like to see how much strength is hidden in his tall frame.   
Slowly his cheeks become slightly red.  
“Well, we should continue. I’ll send two other pupils to help you,” and with that she walks towards the group of kids around Sanji and Zoro who are still scolded by the orange haired girl, while the rest of their friends laugh at them.

Franky does not feel hurt anymore but can feel the pride swell in his chest. He’s humming to himself a made-up tune, inventing lyrics that mostly consist of “Super! Super!”, feeling like he can fly.  
From then onward the work becomes even more easy. No matter if it is setting up the tables, the music system or the dishes… everything is easy and super!  
The pupils start to snicker at him but who cares!? He has impressed Miss Nico! Nothing can hurt his happiness.

Finally, almost everything is finished and done, except for a few little things here and there.  
“Yohohoho! What a beautiful decorated room to look at with my very own eyes! Even though my eyesight is not that good… yeah… well… Yohoho!” the principal shouts. He just steps in the gym to see how far everything is finished. He is accompanied by a tall man in a fur-coat, smoking a cigar.  
“Good morning principal Brook!” the students answer in unison.  
“Good morning, everyone. Great work you did here! Yohohoho! May I introduce Mr. Crocodile to you? He donated the money for this dance.”  
“Good morning Mr. Crocodile!”

“What kind of name is Crocodile and why does he have a scar across his face?” right after this remark a thud can be heard, followed by a muffled “Ouch!”  
“Shut it, Luffy!”  
"Why is he smoking in here? I'm not allowed to smoke indoors..."  
"You shouldn't smoke at all Sanji! You're too young!"

“Yohohohoho!” the principal laughs long and with vigour.  
Meanwhile Miss Nico walks up to the two men, smiling. And then Frankys mood falls down in an endless pit. She acts towards this Crocodile man rather familiar, a hug, a kiss on the cheek, laying her hand on his arm and then they leave the gym together with the principal.

As soon as they are out of the door rumors are buzzing back and forth between the kids, shooting up like mushrooms.  
“I don’t get it, Nami. Why is everyone so upset?”  
“Listen up, Luffy. Ms. Robin is known for never showing more emotion than a smile or light worry. It is very unusual that she would act towards someone like this man so… intimate! There is something going on!” The orange girl named Nami explains.  
“What do you mean something is going on? What is going?”  
“Geez, Luffy! Like husband and wife or something!” another friend with a long nose interrupts.  
“Don’t tell lies, Usopp! Ms. Robin is way too classy for that guy,” the blonde boy from before answers.  
Another girl of the group chimes in too:”Mr. Crocodile is a wealthy businessman. He is the boss of Baroque Works and it is said he can woo everyone.”  
“But, Vivi…”  
“Oh, shut it dartbrow! Your crying is annoying.”  
“What was that, Mosshead? You’re looking for a beating?!”  
And they got it going again.  
“STOP IT YOU TWO! YOU’RE DESTROYING EVERYTHING!”  
While Luffy laughs and Vivi and Usopp try their best to not get in the way is Nami doing her best to calm the two down.

Having heard all this Franky is slowly walking out. How is he supposed to compete with someone like that?

Later, after a long, long day and finally having finished his work for the day, he walks home.  
Entering the little flat he falls down on the couch and immediately starts to lament his situation:”What am I supposed to do?”  
“What do you mean, nmaa?” his step brother whom he shares the flat with steps into the room from the kitchen, looking at him confused.  
“Iceburg! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do! The woman of my dreams is taken!”  
“Oh my, that is no surprise,” the older man casually leans on the frame of the door, his pet mouse looking out of the pocket in his west.  
“And I don’t stand a chance against this guy! He is wealthy and does not look that bad… not as super as me but still…”  
“Oh my, that is no surprise either.”  
“Thanks for the help Idiot-burg!” the sarcasm is thick in Franky's voice. His brother is a stupid idiot.  
"Maybe you should just ask her out instead of being stupid?"  
"Oh wow, thanks for the help idiot! She is taken!"  
“No problem. Ask her anyway,” and with that he returns to the kitchen. Franky can hear the little pet mouse in Iceburgs pocket squeak in confirmation.

The next day the last preparations happen. The food from the “Redleg” restaurant is delivered, a few last decorations and lanterns are put up. Excitement can be felt in the air. Only Franky is surrounded by a cloud of misery.  
Several people ask him what is wrong. Even Miss Nico, but he does not answer and only mumbles an excuse and hurries away. Unseen by him she raises her eyebrows in a disapproving and worried way.

Finally the moment has come! Night falls and every pupil was dancing and laughing. The principal stages with his band and they are rocking the room.  
To fit in Franky had decided to put on a white shirt and a tie, even if his job is only to shoo the pupils out of the bushes.  
It is kind of satisfying to see the teenager fleeing, cursing and screaming. Because it is very unfair that all these youngsters have someone for the bushes while his reason for sleepless nights is out of reach.  
‘I’m envious about the luck of these kids. Super! Very super! As super as war and the plague,’ with a sigh he let himself fall on a bench and peeks up to the school clock. It shows 10 pm. He is already walking around, disturbing young love for three hours. He sighs once more and closes his eyes.

“Seems like your job is really hard? Do you want a cola?”  
Franky opens his eyes and sees a cup with cola, hold by Robin who wears a simple but beautiful dress. One of her small smiles on her lips. Thanks to the colourful lanterns, illuminating her she looks like out of a fairytale. Instead of forming an answer he just stares at her with an open mouth.  
“Franky? Cola? Yes? No?” Her smile broadens and turns playful, while she slightly swings the paper cup in front of his face. Miss Nico looking playful?!   
“I… I … I… thank you!” Still overwhelmed he takes the cup and the female teacher takes a seat beside him.  
“It’s just, you’re super beautiful. Like not from this world beautiful and I got enchanted and forgot how to talk...,”the words just bubble out of him and only after he finishes he realises what he had just said.  
Robin laughs very silent and he puts his face in his hands, aghast about how stupid and cheesy that must have sounded.  
“Thank you, that is very nice of you,” she takes a sip from her own cup and then looks over to him. He is still hunched over with his face in his hands.  
She can’t help herself and starts to laugh again: “Pardon my amusement but it’s just too funny.”  
The janitor raises his head, baffled and a little hurt. She smiles at him teasingly.  
“It is rare to get such a creative and honest compliment,” her eyes roam the garden of the school. “Especially from a man who doesn’t look like he would be too shy to talk to women.”  
Franky had sat up straight again and is now staring at the woman beside him. Again he is enchanted by her look and even if he would want to he can’t look away.  
“But the first impression isn’t always the correct one. I trained myself to observe before I jump to conclusions. It is a pity that my guess that you are sometimes a little slow and that you don’t consider more possibilities before you decide how to act is right after all.”  
Again she spies at the man at her side and starts to laugh once more. He is scandalized and that sight is one she will love to look back to. “Because, Franky, you should never believe rumors started by teenagers,” she still laughs.  
“What do you mean?” he is beyond confused now.  
“Well…,” she lays her hand on his, causing him to look at her in utter disbelief while a blush spreads across his face. The warmth burns through his skin. “... if you wanted to know if I’m single and if I’m willing to go to the dance with you, then you should have just asked. And I would have answered that I am free and that I have to decline your invitation but that I will ask you to go with me. This is a Sadie Hawkins dance after all.” There is a lot of humor in her voice.  
He stares at his hand that is now held between and caressed by her smaller ones like he is spellbound. Maybe she is a fairy after all?   
“... but Crocodile…?”  
“An old acquaintance and business partner. While school vacation I’ll help him search for artifacts, dating those artifacts, categorizing and translating them. That was the condition for him to donate money to the school. I do understand the students confusion but when I get hugged I can’t just push an important business partner away. Also it’s never wrong to be nice when one wants something. And the principal and I hope to get even more money from him.”  
Franky still isn’t sure if he is dreaming or if this is really happening. Again and again he looks at the woman at his side who is still holding his hand.  
Finally it is enough.  
With his free hand he cups her face and kisses her and with a smile she kisses back.  
When they part Robin silently laughs again: “Seems like I captured myself a man.”

**Author's Note:**

> Original prompt: https://op-fanforall.livejournal.com/1053.html?thread=1657629#t1657629
> 
> Back when I wrote this I had to do some research about what Sadie Hawkins dance is. It is based on a comic strip! Also, I have no idea how dances/proms work. My knowledge about this is from teen-comedy-movies and Cartoons.  
> The original story draft was written ten years ago.  
> That explains why Crocodile appears. XD Today I would probably use someone else. After all he redeemed himself a little bit in Marineford. Also it explains this (kinda?) old interpretation of Franky. He changed a lot in the last 8 years :)


End file.
